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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. rule — government
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. pop — soda
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. lie — to recline
  12. plane — a tool
  13. band — a ring
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. mug — a face
  16. vault — a safe
  17. rule — a law
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. pop — to visit
  20. pop — music
  21. mug — to rob
  22. mug — a cup
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. lie — an untruth

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com